Orban to Vucic: Serbia is key country in the Western Balkans

Tanjug / Dragan Kujundžić

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in Belgrade on Thursday that Serbia is the key country in the Western Balkans, adding that he supports its membership in the European Union as soon as possible.

Orban told a news conference after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that he unequivocally supports Serbia and its memberhip in the EU.

He said adding that none of the other Western Balkan countries will be integrated into the EU if Serbia is not. “Serbia is the key country and the EU should realize that. The EU has a much greater interest in Serbia becoming a member than the other way around,” he said, adding that every region has a central country and that is Serbia in this region. “We are convinced that if the EU does not expand it will become unstable,” Orban said.

Central Europe brought new energy into the EU and Serbia and this region will do the same, he said.

Speaking at the news conference, Vucic said that he believes in his country’s European future and official Budapest’s support on that road.

He recalled that official Budapest clearly stated that his country should become a member of the European Union as soon as possible. “There are few countries who openly and courageously advocate Serbia’s European future,” he said told a joint press conference in Belgrade. Vucic added that all the countries of the region see Orban and Hungary as a stabilizing factor.

The president said that the Hungarian government has helped create exceptionally good relations with the Vojvodina Hungarians adding that there have never been fewer inter-ethnic incidents which, he added, reflects the new relationship and trust in each other. Vucic said that the Hungary has a long-term strategic policy through investments in companies in Serbia.

Orban headed a government delegation on a one-day visit to Belgrade. Earlier, Vucic decorated Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto with the Order of the Serbian Flag for advocating Serbia’s membership in the EU.